Barlram’s Travels VI
Tlie
177.»
traveler meets the great
Ata-euEciilIa. hut suddenly “'rows ap¬
prehensive of the Clic*rokees.
Soon after crossing this large branch
of the Tanasc. I observed, descending
the heights at some distance, a com¬
pany of Indians, all well mounted on
horse-back; they came rapidly for¬
ward: on their nearer approach, I ob¬
served a chief at the head of the cara¬
van. and apprehending him to be the
Little Carpenter, emperor or grand
chief of the Chcrokecs. as they came
up I turned off from the path to make
way. in token of respect, which compli¬
ment was accepted, and gratefully and
magnanimously returned; for his high¬
ness with a gracious and cheerful smile
came up to me. and clapping his hand
on his breast, offered it to me. saying.
I am Ata-culculla; and heartily shook
hands with me, and asked me if I
knew it. I answered, that the Good
Spirit who goes before me spoke to
me, and said, that is the great Ata-
cul-culla; and added, that I was of the
tribe of white men. of Pennsylvania,
who esteem themselves brothers and
friends to the red men, but particularly
so to the Cherokces. and that not¬
withstanding we dwelt at so great a
distance, we were united in love and
friendship, and that the name of Ata-
cul-culla was dear to his white brothers
of Pennsylvania.
After this compliment, which seemed
to be acceptable, he inquired if 1 came
lately from Charleston, and if John
Stewart was well, saying that he was
going to sec him. I replied, that I
came lately from Charleston on a
friendly visit to the Cherokces; that
I had the honour of a personal ac¬
quaintance with the superintendent,
the beloved man. whom I saw well
but the day before I set off, and who.
by letters to the principal white men
in the nation, recommended me to the
friendship and protection of the Chcro-
kccs. To which the great chief was
pleased to answer very respectfully,
that I was welcome in their country as
a friend and brother; and then shaking
hands heartily bid me farewell, and
his retinue confirmed it by an united
voice of assent. After giving my name
to the chief, requesting my compli¬
ments to the superintendent, the em¬
peror moved, continuing his journey
for Charleston; and I, yet persisting
in my intention of visiting the Over¬
hill towns, continued on. Leaving the
great forest, I mounted the high hills,
descending them again on the other
side, and so on repeatedly for several
miles, without observing any variation
in the natural productions since pass¬
ing the Jore: and perceiving the slow
progress of vegetation in this moun¬
tainous. high country; and. upon
serious consideration, it appearing
very plainly that I could not. with
entire safety, range the Ovcrhill settle¬
ments until the treaty w'as over, which
would not come on till late in June;
I suddenly came to a resolution to de¬
fer these researches at this time, and
leave them for the employment of an¬
other season and more favourable op¬
portunity. and return to Dartmouth in
Georgia, to be ready to join a com¬
pany of adventurers who were to set
off in July for Mobile in West Florida.
The leader of this company had been
recommended to me as a fit person to
assist me on so long and hazardous a
journey, through the vast territories
of the Creeks.
Therefore next day I turned about
on my return, proceeding moderately,
being engaged in noting such objects
as appeared to be of any moment,
and collecting specimens; and in the
evening of next day arrived again at
Cowc.
Next morning Mr. Galahan con¬
ducted me to the chief of Cowc, who
during my absence had returned from
the chase. The remainder of this day
1 spent in observations in and about
the town, reviewing my specimens. &c.
The tow n of Cowc consists of about
one hundred dwellings, near the banks
of the Tanasc, on both sides of the
river.
The Cherokces construct their habi¬
tations on a different plan from the
Creeks; that is, but one oblong four
square building, of one story high; the
materials consisting of logs or trunks
of trees, stripped of their bark, notched
at their ends, fixed one upon another,
and afterwards plastered well, both
IhU U an oilier «\lracl from Ihc dlar» ol William
Harlram. Hi* »rrt*» «111 b* continued In a future
edition.
inside and out, with clay well
tempered with dry grass, and the whole
covered or roofed with the bark of
the chestnut tree or long broad shingles.
This building is however partitioned
transversely, forming three apartments,
which communicate with each other by
inside doors; each house or habitation
has besides a little conical house, cov¬
ered with dirt, which is called the
winter or hot-house; this stands a few
yards distant from the mansion-house,
opposite the front door.
The council or town-house is a large
rotunda, capable of accommodating
several hundred people: it stands on
the top of an ancient artificial mount
of earth, of about twenty feet perpen¬
dicular. and the rotunda on the top
of it being above thirty feet more,
gives the whole fabric an elevation of
about sixty feet from the common sur¬
face of the ground. But it may be
proper to observe, that this mount, on
which the rotunda stands, is of
з
much
ancicntcr date than the building, and
perhaps was raised for another pur¬
pose. The Chcrokecs themselves arc
as ignorant as we arc, by what people
or for what purpose these artificial
hills were raised; they have various
stories concerning them, the best of
which amount to no more than mere
conjecture, and leave us entirely in
the dark; but they have a tradition
common with the other nations of In¬
dians. that they found them in much
the same condition as they now ap¬
pear. when their forefathers arrived
from the West and possessed them¬
selves of the country, after vanquish¬
ing the nations of red men who then
inhabited it, who themselves found
these mounts when they took posses-
io
THE STATE, NOVEMBER 2B. 1959
